This application relates to the art of cutting devices and, more particularly, to power operated cutting devices of the type wherein a cutting disc moves upwardly through an elongated slot in a top surface of a housing.
The invention is particularly useful with cut-off machines using an abrasive cutting disc. However, it will be appreciated that the invention has broader aspects and may be used in other cutting machines.
Conventional abrasive cut-off machines are extremely noisy, and create a shower of hot sparks and high velocity particles during operation. The abrasive disc occasionally disintegrates while rotating at a very high angular velocity and flying particles create a significant safety hazard. Operators of such machines are often actually in fear of the machines.
Cutting machines are known wherein a rotatable cutting disc moves upwardly through an elongated slot in a top surface of a housing. However, previous cutting machines of this type have not been completely enclosed for minimizing noise, and have not been completely provided with interlock safety controls in a simplified manner.